The Project
by purrpickle
Summary: AU w/senshi. With the cooperation of local high and junior schools, eighth graders will get to experience what life as a high schooler will be like. So who's Usagi's mentor? Why, none other than Setsuna Meioh... Contains shoujo ai, eventual Usagi/Setsuna.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No own Sailor Moon nor characters.

Warning: Will contain shoujo ai.

And on with story! Enjoy.

* * *

"Class. Class. Settle down now, class. I have an announcement to make." Rapping her fingers against her desk, Haruna-Sensei waited for all eyes to look in her direction. When she was satisfied, the young teacher held up a sheaf of paper. "I just had a meeting with the principal this morning. For a couple of weeks now, we've been in talks with the school administration and other junior highs and high schools in this area."

Taking a soft seat on her desk, leaning her hips against the wood, Haruna could see her homeroom students look curiously around at each other. "I know I haven't mentioned this earlier, but I didn't want to get your hopes up. As the go ahead has been given, I think now is a good enough time as any to give you head's up."

Straightening, and passing out the flyers one by one, walking down the aisles of desks and students, she smiled to herself. This would be a good chance for the kids to learn what their interests were, she thought, pausing momentarily by Tsukino Usagi's desk. Oh yes. Definitely for Tsukino.

She got back to the front of the room, lacing her hands together, her gaze travelling slowly around the faces of her students. "Alright, as you start to look over this, I know you'll have some questions, so let me start at the beginning.

"What we're proposing is an exchange program. A… Merging of schools, of a sort. For about a two week rotation, all of the junior highs will send their students to a local high school for some… Mmm… Prepatory experience. A chance to prepare you all for high school, and maybe as a way to discover what will interest you in the future."

Haruna smiled. "Just think of it as a kind of vacation. Albeit with homework, as," she raised her voice to be heard over the groans, "as you will be expected to present a report or presentation at the end of those two weeks. You will be split into groups of threes, and everyone will be assigned a high school student as well. This is to ensure that you get the full support and experience you need."

Tsukino raised her hand. Nodding at her to go ahead, Haruna absently crossed her arms. The blonde's eyes flicked over at her friends Osaka, Kino, and Mizuno. "Will we be able to pick our groups?" she asked.

"Up to a point," Haruna replied, looking down at the flyer she had left for herself. "If it's decided that one student's interest would be better suited to be in another group for another subject, you could be split up. But I don't really see that happening. Any other questions?"

One of the boys raised his hand, and Haruna answered his question. "The date planned for this is the beginning of next month. It'll be just after midterms, and before finals, so no educational problems are predicted. Anyone else?"

As no one else had any questions off the top of their heads, too busy whispering furiously back and forth among themselves, Haruna decided that it was time for the English lesson she had planned. She knew that the students would have questions later, but she could always answer them then.

"Alright, class. Open your books to page 187."

*

"So what do you think about this new program?" Ami asked, picking up her bento and opening it, arranging it on her knees. "Seems very ambitious to me."

"Yeah," Makoto agreed, taking a bite of her octopus sashimi, chewing and swallowing before continuing, "There weren't a lot of details, either."

"Well I think it's exciting!"

Looking up, Makoto smiled to see Usagi standing in front of her, Naru just appearing at the top of the stairs that led back down into the building. Sweeping one of her ponytails off of her shoulder and taking a seat next to the brunette, Usagi brought up her own lunch bag. Exchanging smiles and soft greetings, the blonde took no time in starting to engulf her lunch.

Giggling a little at her friend's behavior, Naru took the spot next to Ami, "Are you guys talking about the high school program?"

"Yep." At nowhere near Usagi's speed, Makoto just kept on steadily eating her food, hoping to at least eat half before the blonde appropriated it for herself. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she realized she would have to speed up a little; Usagi was already almost done.

Hiding her lunch behind her knees by hunching, Ami slowly took a bite of her cold turkey cut sandwich. It was one of her favorites, and she wanted it all to herself. "I wonder about the timing of this, though. It seems to coincide too closely with Jedite's…" Catching herself at the almost slip as Naru looked on curiously, Ami started again, "Uhm, I mean, it just seems very weird."

Makoto shrugged. "Well, I guess it's just because it's the first year for it." Feeling a prickly feeling on the back of her neck, the brunette slowly turned her head, chopsticks still slipped between her lips. Perched right next to her, hands on her cheeks and face made up predominately by huge, glistening eyes, Usagi was drooling at her. Makoto choked, spitting out her mouthful of rice.

Usagi ducked the onslaught of food, wrapping her arms around her friend's waist, "Mako-chan… That's disgusting! Feed me, please? Feed me feed me feed me!" She gently clawed at Makoto's arms as the girl held her bento high above her head.

"Aiee… Usagi-chan…" Naru shook her head, embarrassed a little. Taking a bite of her teriyaki chicken, she realized her mistake when wide blue eyes centered on her. "Oh, no no no!" Picking up her lunch and taking off across the rooftop, she barely kept ahead of the blonde.

Ami giggled. Looking over at Makoto who was looking a little worse for the wear from Usagi's impromptu glomp, she took out her handkerchief and gently patted a piece of rice from the brunette's cheek. Glancing up, she froze for a second as Makoto's green eyes met hers. Blushing, she pulled back. "You, uhm, had some rice…"

"Oh. Okay." Makoto cleared her throat and smiled at her, a blush high on her cheeks.

There was silence for a few moments as both girls ate quietly to themselves, safe from Usagi's reach, as she was still chasing after Naru and her highly desirable lunch. Finally, as Naru gave in to her oldest friend, allowing Usagi to eat half of her remaining chicken, out of compassion or sheer exhaustion (Usagi's energy knew no bounds), the two girls flopped down again. They leaned against each other, panting a little.

"Boys!" Naru suddenly yelled out, startling the other three. Eyes shining, the redhead repeated herself. "Boys! High school boys!"

"Eh? Ehhh!"

And suddenly the quartet was swept up into a whirlwind of discussion.

*

Meioh Setsuna personally thought it was stupid. Why did she have to babysit some junior high students? She had left junior high two years ago, and she had much better things to do than take care of immature girls and boys. Crossing her arms, the dark haired girl stared down her nose at the student body president and said as much.

"It doesn't matter if you object," Takahashi Furiko said, "You still have to do it." Furiko, a small black haired senior that exuded energy and charm, smiled at the taller girl. "It doesn't seem to be a popular idea among the students – well, except for the boys, of course,"

"Perverts," Setsuna rolled her eyes.

"But the school administration really wants to give this a try. Believe me, I argued against it,"

Setsuna raised an eyebrow. That surprised her.

"But was overruled. We can't be the only high school that doesn't participate." Furiko crossed her arms as well. Secretly, she was kind of excited at the idea. Junior high students were so cute and small! Hopefully, some would be shorter than her.

Setsuna turned away, dark green hair falling in front of her eyes. "Fine," she grumbled, grabbing up her bookbag and slinging it over her shoulder, her movements so elegant Furiko felt jealous, "But don't you dare sign me up with someone stupid!"

*

The girls at that afternoon's Senshi meeting were abuzz with news of the program. Rei, who hadn't been informed yet, was eagerly being filled in by Usagi, who had taken it upon herself to be the fount of information.

"Huh," she said, crossing her arms in front of her legs. "That sounds fun."

"Doesn't it, though?" Usagi cried, nodding her head enthusiastically up and down.

Rei looked at her askance, then rolled her eyes. "But! I'm not even sure my school would take part. We are an escalator school, you know. I already have a high school attached."

"You'd probably just go to another school. It seems like they really want to mix us up," Ami noted.

Makoto nodded. "I wonder if they'll provide transportation?" she mused. Living alone, it was sometimes a hassle getting places.

Usagi hummed softly to herself. Glancing at her watch, she smoothed the hem of her skirt down and nodded at Makoto's question. "That would be nice. I wouldn't want to run everywhere. And I couldn't be late, either!"


	2. Chapter 2

When Usagi got home that day, she couldn't wait to tell her parents all about the exchange program. She knew that with her failing grades, her mother needed something good to look forward to in her academic future, and she figured this would be an opportunity to show her mom she could do well after all. It seemed interesting enough, and she knew she had two other partners (hopefully Mako-chan and Ami-chan!) to lean on. Taking the folded paper from her skirt pocket and looking at it before replacing it again, she opened the door to her house and walked in.

"Tadaima," she called out, slipping off her shoes. Bypassing the living room to climb the stairs to her room directly to drop off her book bag, she happily skipped her way back down.

"Usagi-chan? Is that you?"

"Yep!" Following her mother's voice to the kitchen, her mouth started drooling at the wonderful smells that greeted her.

Tsukino Ikuko stood at the stove, stirring a boiling pot. Turning her head to smile at her daughter, the blue haired woman lifted up a spoon which held a red sauce, blowing carefully onto it. "Come here, dear, and try this spaghetti sauce. Your Papa thinks it's fine, but I think it's lacking something."

Walking forward eagerly, Usagi took the spoon from her mom. "Papa's already home?" she asked, taking a tentative lick. The temperature was bearable, so she took a bigger sample. A nice tangy tomato and herb taste filled her mouth, and she finished off the whole spoon.

"Yes, he is. His magazine let him off early today. So, what do you think?" Ikuko took back her spoon, holding it waist level while waiting for her daughter's answer.

"Well…" Usagi scrunched her face. "I can see why Papa says it's fine, but I think you're right. It is missing something."

A big smile beamed on Ikuko's face. "Of course! I'll make a cook out of you yet. Especially," her mother bumped her with her hip softly as Usagi had come forward to watch her add some more basil, "How you can never get enough food. I swear you have a bottomless stomach."

Usagi sweatdropped. "Mama!" she whined for habit's sake, "I'm a growing girl." Not to mention all the calories I burn fighting youma, she added silently. Hopping up onto the kitchen counter, she balanced carefully with her palms and started idly kicking the cupboards below with her heels. She couldn't stop the soft smile that covered her face. Here, now, sitting in the kitchen and bantering back and forth with her mother like she used to, the young blonde felt almost normal.

Lifting up her right leg to smooth out the school skirt bunched under her, she suddenly remembered the news she really, really wanted to share. Opening her mouth to mention it, she bit back her words before they came out. Tilting her head slightly to the side, Usagi tried to figure out if she wanted to wait to bring it up until dinner. Both of her parents would be there, which would be faster, definitely. But, cringing, Usagi pictured her Papa's reaction. Like Naru, he'd probably automatically think about 'high school boys!'

"Usagi-chan."

Not hearing her mother's warm voice, she wondered what color his face would turn.

"Dear."

Oh, Kami-sama, would he follow her to school?

"Usagi, I think you really should move."

He really didn't own the shotgun he always threatened about, did he? She didn't remember ever seeing it…

Realizing that she wouldn't get any reaction from her daughter any other way, Ikuko sighed and reached for the spatula. When her daughter got lost in a daydream, she really got lost. Without preamble, she whacked her daughter on the head.

"Whoah!" Barking out in surprise, Usagi's hands flew up to her head, rubbing away the prickly sensations that still remained. "Okaa-san," she switched to a more formal tone with shock, "What was that for!?"

Ikuko chuckled softly, hiding it behind her hand. "Dear, if you want to keep your long hair, I'd suggest you pay better attention." She ran a hand lovingly through her own dark blue tresses, proud of the fact that she managed to keep her hair healthy and long all throughout the years.

"What?" Looking down and searching left and right for where her ponytails had landed with her jump, Usagi gasped, "Gah!" She quickly pulled her right ponytail free from the butter. Bundling the rest to her chest while keeping the end hanging free and away from her clothing, she pulled her left one up for good measure and jumped down, running towards the bathroom.

Almost colliding with her father who was on his way to the kitchen, Usagi danced around him with a breathy, "Hi Papa!" and continued on.

Giggling again, Ikuko made sure the sauce was bubbling nicely without her before she looked at the butter with a critical eye. Deciding it was useless, she opened the trash and shook the plate upside down until, with a wet plop, the butter fell in.

Her husband found her opening the refrigerator to grab a replacement stick. Leaning down to see around her what she was doing, Tsukino Kenji had to abruptly backpedal. As she hadn't felt his presence, Ikuko let out a little sound of her own, turning around to find her husband right there.

"Hi hun," Kenji smiled, "It really smells nice in here. Are we having garlic bread as well?"

"You startle me, and all you say is that you want garlic bread? Honestly," Ikuko huffed, smiling back at him anyway. "Why didn't you ask earlier?"

Moving so she could make her way back to the counter, Kenji accepted the stick of butter handed to him. Looking down to make sure he got the least butter on his hands as he could, he unwrapped and placed it on the plate. "Didn't we just have a new stick two days ago? I don't think we eat or use enough butter to need to replace it already…"

"That," Ikuko twisted the knob to turn the burner under the spaghetti sauce to a nice simmering level, snapping another one to start the burner next to it for the spaghetti itself, "Has to do with why your daughter ran out of here."

"Usagi-chan?" Reaching up to adjust his glasses, the tall blackhaired man leant against the same counter his daughter had sat on. He watched the smile on his wife's face, having no idea what could have caused it.

While Kenji rarely ever managed to make it home till right before dinner, he tried his hardest to maintain a good relationship with his family, especially his children. With Shingo, who was still at the age where he was interested in hanging out with his dad and not embarrassed to be seen with him, it was pretty easy to keep up with him. Usagi, however, was a different case.

In the past year, his little girl had suddenly become the teenager her age suggested. Suddenly, she was growing up physically, and, he shuddered, she had become aware of boys. Her grades in school had never been perfect, but they were definitely worsening each month. It seemed like she was never home anymore, and while he was glad that she was making new friends, Kenji couldn't help missing his Little Bunny. Most times, after dinner, she shut herself in her room with her cat. Chance was he wouldn't see her again until the next day's dinner.

Even at dinner, she was always distracted, which she hid badly. She would still talk about her day and eat her food with healthy gusto, but she seemed to be poised on the edge of her seat, like she might have to suddenly get up and run. The only thing he could think of that would distract her so was a boy, and he was NOT ready for some creepy little…

Ikuko interrupted his thoughts by placing the spoon of spaghetti sauce to his lips. "Here, dear, try it now."

Opening his mouth obediently, Kenji couldn't help but reach out and take his own hold on the spoon. While he loved his wife and trusted her implicitly, a hot spoon with potentially boiling sauce near his face still made him nervous. In answer, Ikuko looked up, smiling, not faulting him in the least. They both steered the sample into his mouth. Oh, mmm…. "Wow. I didn't think it could get better, but you did it."

Leaning up to kiss his cheek in thanks, his wife smiled at him, turning back to the stove. "I told you it needed something," she offered over her shoulder.

Wiping his fingers over his lips in case sauce had gotten deposited, the faint taste of butter drew him back to why his daughter had run out of the kitchen. "So, Usagi-chan?" he prompted.

"Oh, hah! Yes." Again, as Kenji drew around to stand next to his wife, she smiled that same smile from before. Accepting the package of spaghetti she pointed at, Ikuko opened it and drew out a handful of noodles. Breaking them in half, then adding them to the boiling water, and then repeating until the whole package was empty, she continued. "She jumped up to sit on the counter over there, where you just were."

Kenji raised his eyebrows; it made him happy to hear that she still did that.

"Well, she wasn't looking... No, probably she just didn't think it was important. Anyway, after talking to her for a while, I turned around and noticed something she obviously didn't." A giggle escaped Ikuko's mouth. "Dear, one of her ponytails was mixing with the butter!"

Kenji quirked a grin, finding himself laughing as well. "That's a lot of hair, isn't it?" he supplied.

"Yes, it was." As if called, Usagi appeared at the entrance to the kitchen again, her voice low. Drawing herself up indignantly, their daughter ruined it by pouting, "And I don't find it funny."

Over half of Usagi's right ponytail was dark with moisture, like she had dunked it in water and hadn't managed to dry it completely. While away from the kitchen, she had also changed from her school uniform. She was now wearing a bright yellow T-shirt with a macramé white bunny on the front with rainbow suspenders attached to well-worn jeans, white with many washings and even a hole in one knee. Taking her in, Kenji realized just how much his daughter had grown up. Last he had really looked at her, she hadn't been so… mature looking.

"Are you planning on going somewhere?" Ikuko asked the question Kenji realized he was also wondering.

"What? No. Of course not!" Shifting on her feet and looking wildly everywhere else but directly at her parents, the young girl looked everything but sincere.

"Ahuh." Eying her, Ikuko interrupted what Kenji was about to say, "Well, I'm actually glad you're dressed like that. Now you can go with Papa to the store to get some garlic spread so we can make our own garlic bread."

"What? Really?" Smiling brightly, his daughter suddenly attached herself to his arm, already tugging him towards the door. "Can we get some sweets, too? Some dessert?"

Chuckling a little, Kenji looked at his wife, who winked at him behind Usagi's back, "If you leave now, I'm sure it won't take you too long. I'll have bread in the oven waiting, when you get back."

"Yes, yes, c'mon, Papa! Let's go!"

"Alright, alright. I'm coming, Little Bunny."

As Usagi managed to fully usher her husband out towards the door, Ikuko smiled at the scene. She knew Kenji was missing hanging out with his daughter, and this seemed a perfect way to orchestrate an impromptu father/daughter trip. And if the food cooled a little before they got back, who cared?

Then, something occurred to the blue haired woman, and she rushed over, poking her head out the door of the kitchen to catch the young girl, who was trying to push her feet into her shoes at the same time she was pulling her jacket on."Oh, Usagi-chan? Just remember, when you ask Papa for next week's allowance, I'm taking out the cost of the butter."

"I-what? No fair!" Usagi spluttered. It was her father's turn to pull her out the door before she could think of a good comeback.

Laughing gaily to herself, Ikuko just hadn't been able to stop herself. Her son, who walked into the kitchen to complain that he had wanted to go to the store as well, looked at her oddly. To wipe the expression from his face, she offered him a taste of the spaghetti sauce.

*

Walking through the opening store doors, the cool gust of air that she sucked towards her at the entrance ruffled her hair, tickling her face and making her shiver. Tucking the dark strands behind her ear, Setsuna paused just in front of the doors, searching with her eyes for the stack of shopping baskets. She was new to the neighborhood and to the store, as her friend had asked her to pick up something for dinner. Maiko would have come with her, but she was babysitting her baby brother, and neither girl wanted to be out in public if he decided to make a tantrum.

Behind her, the doors whisked open again, and another gust of air hit her, now on her back. That tickled in its own way, and with an exasperated sigh, Setsuna took the hair tie from her wrist and swept her dark green hair into a high ponytail. Finally spotting the stack of baskets, partially hidden behind a display of the idol Aino Minako hawking what looked to be an orange drink of some kind, she went over to grab one.

However, as she reached one hand out to grab the handle of the top one, a small, pale hand went for it at the same time. Surprised, and a little miffed, Setsuna eased herself back on her feet and looked up to see who was across from her.

With surprise of her own, a short blue eyed blonde stood there, her mouth partially open."I'm sorry," the girl took a small step back, "I knew you were here first, but I thought I might have had just enough time to grab it before you did."

"What?" Setsuna blinked.

The girl bit her lower lip. "Never mind. Just, uh, you can take it." She made an 'after you' motion.

…Weird. "Okay. Thanks." Grabbing the basket and nodding at the other girl, Setsuna walked forward and around her, heading towards the side of the store.

Her plan was walking aisle by aisle until she found something that would be good to eat. Smirking at the light bulbs and appliances that she first came upon, she knew those wouldn't be edible. She quickly went to the next aisle. She soon got into the process of meandering with a purpose, mentally judging and rejecting or accepting what her eyes processed.

Still, she thought, sliding a couple packages of potato crisps into the basket, the girl did look pretty cute with those rainbow suspenders and oddball hair…


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I'm not too sure about this chapter, but I'll put it up in the meantime. Anyway, there is a reason what happens happens.

* * *

Lingering a little while after the older girl with the rich dark green hair walked away, Usagi watched her as she pulled up her own shopping basket. It had been a split second decision to try for the basket first, but she really hadn't thought the girl could have walked so fast. In fact, Usagi and her father had walked past the girl putting her hair up only moments before she headed straight towards the sweets aisle and her father stopped her and told her to get a basket. She should have realized that the taller girl would walk quickly with longer legs.

Well, anyway, she had a basket now. She turned and walked in another direction to where she knew her father would be. Catching up to the tall man, Usagi couldn't help but smile with pride. She knew her father was doing the best he could to support the family, and she loved him very much. She felt bad they hadn't spent much time together lately, but it was impossible to know when a youma would attack.

"So, which one would you think would be better?" Kenji asked, holding up two different jars.

There was more than one kind of garlic spread? That was a little surprising. Deciding to go with the one that had the brighter label, Usagi pointed at it and held out her basket.

"Alrighty!" Depositing the jar into the basket, Usagi's father kindly took the basket from her. Eyes twinkling, he motioned towards the right with a tilt of his head, "You want to pick out something for dessert?"

"Really? Thank you!" Throwing out her arms to give him a spontaneous hug, Usagi eagerly ran to the back of the store where the freezers were. Maybe some ice cream would be good… But what about cake? Ooh, and the cheesecake looked good! But there was a sale on the ice cream, so she would be able to bring more home, which would mean more left over for later.

Tapping her finger against the side of her face and putting more weight on her right foot, she tried to work out the best possible choice that would net her the most dessert for the yen and make the most people happy. She knew her mother enjoyed cheesecake, but her brother liked ice cream. And her father liked whatever was put in front of him, she giggled softly to herself. He almost had a bigger sweet tooth than her… Almost.

As she wondered about dessert, another part of Usagi's brain wondered what candy or sweets she could sneak into the basket; seeing as, she grumbled to herself, she didn't have the money to pay for them herself. If she asked for next week's allowance now, her Papa would remember what Mama had said. She was hoping that they'd both forget about it by next week.

So if she did choose ice cream, which kind should she get? The tub or the individually wrapped variety? And what flavor? Shingo liked chocolate, her mother preferred strawberry or vanilla, and her father liked green tea best of all. Of course, Usagi loved every single flavor!

"Excuse me."

Jumping back a bit with surprise, Usagi turned to see the girl from before looking at the same freezer door she was in front of. Realizing that she prevented her from getting inside, Usagi colored and took a step back. "Sorry," she offered.

Grabbing a box of assorted Drumsticks, the girl placed it in her own basket, tilting her head in acknowledgment, "It's fine." She half-smiled, as if it was expected of her.

Playing with her hands behind her back, Usagi nodded. Seeing that the tall girl was going to leave, something in her basket caught her eye. "Oh, you don't want that!"

"Eh?"

Rushing up to her, Usagi grabbed the bag of potato crisps out of her basket.

"H-hey! What are you -!" The girl blinked shocked red eyes, pulling her basket close into her chest, cradling it safely with her arms. "Give that back!"

"No, no." Shaking her head, Usagi looked straight into the girl's face, craning her head back a little due to her height. "You don't want this," she repeated, holding the bag up by a corner.

One of the girl's eyebrows was higher than the other one, and her mouth had firmed into a frown. She looked highly uncomfortable. "Okay…" she finally let out, looking quickly over her shoulder and back, her green ponytail flicking back and forth with her quick movements, "Take it if you want. I need to be going…" The girl took a step back, her expression having changed into one of placation, as if Usagi was crazy.

"I don't want it!" Usagi shook her head again. "Look," she reached out, grabbing a hold of the girl's nearest elbow.

The girl started violently. She jerked away from her.

"No, it's fine. Trust me?" Usagi gave her the most innocent smile she had.

"Why should I?" the girl shot back, her voice becoming lower. She now looked angry, her arms tightening around the basket. She glared at her.

Usagi's eyes widened. The girl's angry face was really scary. Taking in the body language of the girl, whose body was tense under her white t-shirt and jeans, she realized she needed to placate the girl before things got more heated or she walked away.

"Look, I'm not trying to steal these or scare you. I'm just trying to give you some advice!"

The girl looked at her with disbelief.

"No, it's true. Look." Usagi brought up the potato crisp bag again. She turned it to where the front was on top. Seeing that the girl didn't move, she motioned the bag at her, smiling brightly.

The girl stared at her a second, finally letting out a sigh. Shaking her head, she moved forward an inch. "What am I supposed to be looking at?" she asked, her voice tight.

Usagi pointed at the brand name.

Furrowing her brow, the green haired girl straightened. "I don't see anything wrong. It's just the brand name." She wasn't looking at Usagi with anger anymore, but she still had a guarded expression on her face. Shifting the basket on her chest to make it more comfortable, she seemed to come to a decision and lowered it to one hand again.

Smiling at her little win, Usagi shook her head. "Have you listened to the news lately?" At the girl's 'no', she forged ahead. "I have. My mother has it on every morning. Well, a couple of days ago, several of this company's products were found to be contaminated."

Green eyebrows shot up. "Really?" the girl asked, her body losing some of its rigidity.

"Yes."

"Oh." Staring at her, the girl's lips suddenly curled up. "I see. Thank you."

Usagi smiled, "No problem." She was happy the other girl didn't seem afraid of her anymore. Although how a taller, older, and very attractive girl would be scared of a shorter, younger, plain girl like herself, she didn't know.

Deciding that there was no sense in standing before the freezer just staring at the other girl, Usagi blushed and started turning back to make her dessert choice.

"You know," the girl started as Usagi was once again scanning the ice cream on display.

Usagi tilted her head in answer and smiled, glancing at the girl to let her know she was listening. She had just remembered that she really didn't have a lot of time. Finally making up her mind, Usagi opened the door, gasping a little at the chill that washed against her face. She grabbed a tub of Neapolitan ice cream (it would work for almost everyone!), and turned back around. The girl opened her mouth to continue her sentence… But never got to finish.

With a loud crashing, splintering sound, a car hurtled through the front of the store. Screaming, Usagi dropped to the ground in instinct, the girl hitting the floor with her. Only a few seconds passed as the car barreled through, aisles folding with the impact, goods and merchandise getting thrown everywhere, but it seemed like it was in slow motion. Screams and loud scrapes and noises filled the air. Finally, as the car lost speed, it came to a sudden crunching halt when it hit the freezers at the back of the store only a couple of feet away from where Usagi and the girl huddled. With a spray of broken glass and milk, the car, which had come in sideways, dropped to the ground with a loud creak to land on its wheels.

Shocked silence filled the store. Lowering her arms from above her head, Usagi shook to get the glass and debris off of her. She was lucky she hadn't been looking at the milk. Mind racing, she tried to remember if anyone had been standing there. With a sigh of relief, she remembered that it had only been her and the girl standing in front of the freezers at the time.

Remembering the girl, Usagi looked to see the older girl in front of her shaking off the debris as well. She had been lucky enough to be a little farther away than Usagi had been, but she seemed unhurt. They exchanged relieved smiles.

The sound of a baby crying ripped through the silence. It broke the stunned immobility. Standing up through stiff muscles, having had been furiously clenched, Usagi looked at the damage done to the shop. Everything in a straight path from the front to the back looked wrecked and broken. Heart beating fast, she hoped no one had gotten seriously hurt. She had been lucky only getting away with some cuts from the flying glass. In fact, she realized, as the back of her body and hands stung a little, the reason the girl hadn't been hurt was because Usagi was inadvertently shielding her!

Feeling something cold sticking to her knees, she looked down to see that when she had dropped to the ground, she had landed on the tub of ice cream. It had split open and melted a little under her body heat. Wait, ice cream! The air sucked out of her chest. Papa! Was Papa okay?

Panic hit her. Taking off running to the aisle she had left him in, she screamed in despair when she realized he wasn't there. Eyes furiously scanning the store, standing up on her tip toes, she used all the air in her body to yell out for him, repeating it with every third step as she raced to find him. If he had been in the sweets aisle, picking out something for her… Her blood ran cold. That would have been in the direct path of the car!

Tears streaked down her face. "Papa! Papa!" she screamed, her throat becoming hoarse. The store hadn't seemed that big before, but now it seemed endless. As she ran from aisle to aisle, making her way towards the wreckage, the only people she saw were strangers holding each other close or looking around with the same bewildered expression on their faces.

Finally, scrambling up and over the downed aisles at the front of the shop, not noticing the cuts and bruises she was amassing on her hands and knees from the broken metal, feet slipping from the contents of broken packages, she saw her father making his way towards her.

He looked pinched and drawn, but as he caught sight of her, a sudden relieved smile threatened to take over his whole face. "Usagi-chan!" he yelled, running up to her.

"Papa!"

Heat raced through her body. She almost tripped on her way down, hopping over the sharp corners of overturned shelves, tears obscuring her vision. Her father met her at the bottom. "Usagi-chan!" he breathed into her hair, picking her up to hold her tight to him, arms wrapped strongly around her midsection.

"You're okay," he murmured, squeezing her, "I was so afraid…"

Nestled in his arms, Usagi breathed in the familiar smell of his cologne she remembered from childhood, crying and trying to hold him as close as she could with trembling arms. "Papa," she choked out, finally pushing herself a little away to look into his eyes, touched beyond words to see that he had tears in them as well, "Are you okay?"

Setting her down so her feet touched the ground again, Kenji couldn't help but laugh softly. He reached out to cup his daughter's face. He had been so afraid that his baby had been caught in the accident, thinking that she might have been looking at sweets. When he had seen her coming for him, struggling over the wreckage, terrified shouts coming out of her mouth, his heart had almost stopped with joy. "I'm fine," he said softly, brushing a tear away before he crushed her into another hug, "But I should be asking you that! Honey, you're bleeding a little."

Usagi shook her head. "It's fine," she answered, her voice muffled again by his shoulder, "I was just near the freezer when the car hit. Broken glass. But it's really okay. Hey!" She pushed herself back again, looking up at him with big eyes. "What caused that car to come flying in here in the first place?"

Kenji looked outside the cracked window to his left. "I have no idea," he started, peering at the view of outside offered to him, "But it doesn't look like the only casualty." More parked cars were in disarray, and he could hear frantic honking and squeals of tires.

"What?" His daughter turned to look with him. She suddenly froze, her hand reaching out to hold his, clutching it in a strong grip. "Papa…." She murmured, "I think we should make our way to back of the shop…"

"Why?"

Usagi had already started pulling him to the back, striding with strong legs, looking back over her shoulder with every step. "Because," she started, "I think there's a youma out there."

Kenji almost stopped walking. Like everyone else, he had heard about the so-called youma attacks, but barely paid heed to them. It wasn't like he didn't believe they were real; he just hadn't seen any evidence for himself. He knew, though, that strange things happened in Tokyo every once in a while (he had heard of the past troubles of Tokyo, like Gojira. Though he hadn't been alive at the time, he knew that Gojira had existed because he had seen the news footage). No one had been able to catch any footage or procure any definitive proof of the new Senshi or youma, so he was left skeptical.

Looking down at his daughter, he could tell she firmly believed what the news reported. And, as they approached where the crumpled car rested, Kenji could only make the sight of the car hurtling through the store make sense if he thought it had been thrown… He pulled Usagi closer to him.

In the back of his head, he wished he had his camera with him. If Usagi hadn't been there, he would have risked trying to capture whatever happened next on film. But she was there. He knew he had to protect her now, no matter what.

As if sensing his thoughts, Usagi looked up at him, smiling through closed lips, squeezing his hand in response.

She needed to get away. She needed to go out and fight the youma. Usagi's left hand went to curl around the brooch she had placed in her pocket. It pulsed warmly under her fingers, sensing the youma outside. Taking a look up at her father, she saw the protective look on his face, and smiled back at him. How was she going to be able to leave him…?

Finally, she knew what she could do. People had followed her and her father back, feeling the danger outside the walls as well. Scanning the crowd of exhausted, confused people, some hurting, but all tired, she noticed a heavily pregnant woman sitting by herself against the concrete wall of the employee hallway. "Papa," she whispered up to her dad, pulling his hand to get his attention, "We should go and help that woman."

Looking where she indicated, he nodded. Without a word, he let go of her hand and shrugged off his coat. "Excuse me," he touched the woman's shoulder softly, kneeling down, "Would you like my jacket to keep out the cold of the wall?"

Surprised, the woman smiled happily. "That's very nice of you, thank you. It is pretty cold."

Her father smiled back, draping his coat over her shoulders as she moved forward awkwardly a little. "It's no problem," he said, making sure it covered wherever she would touch, "When my wife was pregnant, she was highly susceptible to the cold."

As people noticed what he was doing, more and more came over to sit with them, using the woman's pregnancy as a way to distract them from whatever it was that was happening outside. Usagi moved back a little, slipping away through the small crowd. Knowing she was going to scare her father when he noticed she was gone, she couldn't help it. Taking one last look to make sure he was alright, she ducked behind one of the corner aisles.

She flipped open her communicator. Informing the others about the youma in whispers as she made her way to front, Usagi took one last look around her to see if anyone could see her. Squaring her shoulders, she pulled out her brooch.

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"


End file.
